How to Prepare for a Nigerian Themed Wedding

If you are lucky enough to be part of the team planning a “Naija” wedding, prepare for some serious hard work, fun, and laughter! 

Nigeria has around 370 different tribes, but generally, they all celebrate in a similar way when it comes to weddings. Weddings are a massive cause for celebration in the Nigerian culture. They are attended by hundreds of people from the bride and groom’s close family members to well-wishers from the local community. Here are some tips on how to prepare for a Nigerian themed wedding.

The Clothes of the Bride and Groom

Nigerian weddings can happen over several days. Igbo and Yoruba tribes have a traditional wedding and then a ‘white’ wedding on another day. 

A traditional Nigerian wedding dress varies from tribe to tribe – Yoruba women wear an Iro and Buba, while the groom wears an Agbada. An Iro is a large wrapper that ties around the waist, and the Buba is a loose-fitting blouse. Women also wear a head wrap known as a ‘Gele,’ a softer piece of fabric tied around the waist on top of the iro, and a scarf draped over one shoulder. This is called an ‘Iborun.’ The agbada worn by men is similar to a kaftan but a bit larger.

The ceremony will take place in a church for the white wedding, and the bride will usually wear a white dress – much like these wedding gowns. Nigerians living in the western world often ditch the white gown after the ceremony and dress in bright colors for the evening celebrations. The couple will decide what colors they want their family members to wear. This makes it easy to distinguish who belongs to each of the couple’s families at a glance.

Food

It is traditionally the bride’s mother’s job to cater for the wedding with some assistance from extended family and friends.

The main dish served at a Nigerian wedding is jollof rice. This dish consists of rice fried in oil with tomatoes, onion, red pepper, garlic, chili, and ginger. Jollof is usually served with chicken, turkey, beef, or fish.

Yams are used a lot in Nigerian cooking as the country is the world’s largest producer of yams. Cooked Yams are pounded into a semi-solid paste, and hot water is added. The mixture is then formed into balls and served wrapped in plastic to retain the moisture.

A selection of finger foods referred to as ‘small chops’ are often served at parties, and these include spring rolls, samosas, peppered gizzards, kebabs, fish rolls, and more.

Traditions

When the new couple has their first dance, relatives and friends will spray them with money or lay garlands made from money over their heads. This is seen to provide the couple with extra money to enjoy on their honeymoon or use to set up their home.

At some weddings, a person referred to as an ‘Alaga’ will heckle the groom and his friends to provide entertainment for the guests. They will use dance, music, and comedy to keep the crowd engaged during the long ceremony.